Starter Course – how to inspire people from the start

Appetite is a large programme that aims to get more people from Stoke-on-Trent to experience and be inspired by the arts. It is funded by Arts Council England as part of the Creative People and Places programme and led by the New Vic Theatre.

Creative People and Places aims to increase the number of people experiencing the arts in areas where arts engagement is significantly below the national average in the country.

The Appetite programme aims to build an appetite for the arts in the city by programming high quality events in public spaces and placing people at the heart of what we do so they can take part and shape arts activity in Stoke-on-Trent.

The Starter Course, Stoke, Stoke-on-Trent

The Starter Course was an induction day for the various groups we wanted to work with as co-commissioners and co-programmers. It brought various groups together for one day to have bite-size engagements with various artists in various locations.

Aims of the Starter Course

• To encourage a stronger sense of belonging, understanding and connection to Appetite’s mission, values and aims
• To encourage groups to consider their own longer-term aspirations and see the bigger picture for the city
• To inspire groups to think differently about the places and spaces where art can happen i.e. unconventional and unusual spaces such as pubs and empty shops
• To stimulate new and ambitious thinking within the programme, where people are open to new ideas
• To connect groups from across the city to create a larger network of peers. This will encourage collaboration and cohesion across the whole programme and add value to projects within the city
• To identify a number of local ambassadors for Appetite within each of our groups for 2014.

Video case study:

Film produced by Junction 15. Copyright New Vic Theatre (Appetite)